Urbanity

West Indian

Pocket Veto

The Trinidadian presidency is usually thought of as a ceremonial position, but this isn’t entirely correct. A good example of one of the President’s powers crops up in today’s Express:

In 2000, under the United National Congress government, then attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj piloted to Parliament an act entitled “The Dangerous Dogs Act, 2000”, to provide for regulating the keeping of dangerous dogs which present a serious danger to the public, to make further provision for ensuring that such dogs are kept under proper control and for connected purposes.

The act was debated in both the House of Representatives and the Senate and was passed.

In order for a bill or act to become law, however, it must be proclaimed by the President.

Parliament can pass whatever it wants, but if the President wants to sit on it, he can sit on it for his entire term. It doesn’t happen that often (at least not deliberately; the sort of incompetence seen above is depressingly common), but it could. Something to keep in mind the next time someone rails at you about a switch to a presidential system. At least that system is honest.